Its an individual choice, but especially if the interest rate on your credit card debt is high, paying it off sooner is better. Most however would prefer to contribute at least enough to 401K to max the company match. That match is free income.

The best answer will come from sitting down with a spreadsheet program and estimating what your rate of return will be on the 401K investments. Fools would use 11% for an S&P Index fund. Then model your financial situation and estimate what your net worth will be 10 years out using various scenarios. If one has a clear advantage, you should see it.

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